


GPAs and Dinner Dates

by caleedc



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Business Trip, Explicit Language, F/F, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25690849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caleedc/pseuds/caleedc
Summary: Hirai Momo wanted to fill up her résumé with the best; Myoui Mina wanted Hirai Momo for something else.
Relationships: Hirai Momo/Minatozaki Sana, Hirai Momo/Myoui Mina
Comments: 12
Kudos: 84





	GPAs and Dinner Dates

**Author's Note:**

> Songs I listened to while writing: 
> 
> Animals - Maroon 5  
> Jealous - Nick Jonas  
> Can't Feel My Face - The Weeknd  
> bad decisions - Ariana Grande

“Congratulations and welcome to the company. I’ll have the C.O.O. take you around so you can familiarize yourself with the place.”

“It’s a pleasure, Miss Park. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, Momo. I believe you’ll do well here.”

******

“I can’t believe I got the internship.” Momo whispered to herself in bewilderment. The HR executive was a welcoming lady, motherly in nature, even. This made Momo feel secure, having high hopes for the coming weeks.

 _Thirty-Seven MS Industries_ was of one the most prestigious conglomerates that ran a majority of Seoul’s industry: healthcare, electronics, cosmetics, and insurance.

The students from Momo’s university – chaebol kids inside and out – all vied for working experience there, but all for good standing on paper. Momo had always believed that her family’s money could or _should_ get her everything she wanted, much to the dismay of her peers. She worked hard in classes that most of her classmates would just drop and pay teachers off with, but despite their underhanded transactions, Momo still ended up with honest, top marks.

Her Business Management professor wrote her a recommendation letter for the internship application, and she listened well under her tutelage to prepare. Three weeks later, Momo had received a phone call from _Thirty-Seven MS_ ’s HR Secretary.

“Hi, you must be Momo. I’m Minatozaki Sana. Chief Operating Officer of Thirty-Seven MSI.”

Momo’s thoughts were interrupted by a ginger-haired girl with a contagious smile, and lithe limbs who was extending a handshake to her. She was dressed in a cream-colored pantsuit and white pumps.

“Hi, yes. Sana? You’re Japanese as well?” Momo shook the girl’s outstretched hand.

Sana nodded as she shook Momo’s hand. “Yes. But I was born and raised here in Seoul. Anyway, Miss Park notified me I’d be giving you the grand tour. You ready?”

“Yes I am.”

Sana led Momo out of the HR office and into the main hallway on the 54th floor of Red Tower – one of the many skyscrapers owned by _Thirty-Seven MS Industries._

“Oh my god, we’re so high up.” Momo peered down from the paneled glass windows.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. It’s actually pretty nice up here.” Sana said reassuringly.

“Okay, so here on the left side of the floor is the marketing department. They’re divided into what we call “hives” so there’s about twenty people in a hive. Four hives are equal to the four sectors the conglomerate runs: we have healthcare, insurance, electronics, and cosmetics. These people work _really_ hard for our Customer Satisfaction ratings.” Sana threw a look at Momo while emphasizing the last three words, as if the company’s existence hinged on 5-star reviews.

Momo nodded, observing the cubicles of busy people, and it sounded like a hive would: endless buzzing and chatter, phones ringing, keyboards typing, and files printing. She couldn't help but gawk at the efficiency of it all. 

“Moving on to the opposite wing – oh, the center space when you stepped out of the elevator? That’s our reception area and café, which is open to staff, even interns. So don’t hesitate to get your coffee fix – anyway, opposite wing is where the associates and assistants-to-executives work at, and--"

"Sorry, _free_ coffee? Like, anytime?" it was as if Momo could just leave her jaw slacking if all these amenities were to unfold themselves on the duration of the tour.

Sana nodded with a smile, "Yeah. Once every two weeks there's a special treat that comes with the coffee, like cake, or bread." 

The mention of food perks Momo's attention, but she shakes her head to get back into Sana's narration: "Anyway, sometimes you’ll be called over to sit in some meetings and take notes, or do whatever clerical work they ask you to. Don’t worry, none of them actually bite. The boss doesn’t allow any snooty, elitist to work for this company. Everyone here is ready to help out, so don’t feel intimidated.”

Momo lightly winces, her stomach getting butterflies. No wonder everyone wanted to work here, it was corporate heaven. _Unlimited coffee? Friendly business people?_ Momo wanted to intern here _forever_. 

“55th floor is where the board members and the boss work. There are four conference rooms, and conference room B is the boss’s favorite. It’s kind of a customized space, and it’s really cozy. Come on, I’ll show you.”

*****

“Are you sure this is where people have meetings?” Momo’s jaw dropped. Conference room B looked more like a VIP lounge than a meeting space.

Black, full-sized bean bags littered the ash-blue carpet floor, and there was a beverage fridge and snack bar both fully stocked in one corner. A drop-down canvas screen was in the middle of the room against the wall for the projector. Instead of a long conference table, there was a coffee table for every four bean bags.

Sana stifled a laugh. “Actually, this is more of a thinking space where the boss _loves_ to brainstorm with interns.”

“Interns?”

“Yeah. She frequently meets with the new blood more than her board members. It’s a way to keep the company fresh and full of new ideas.” Sana draws air quotes with her fingers at “fresh” and “new ideas.” She sighs in admiration. “It’s a great move honestly, and none of the board members feel offended. They get their chance to use this conference room too, but for the most part they just fall asleep.”

“Well, yeah. It looks really cozy.” Momo eyes one of the lush reclining spaces with much gusto.

“Go ahead, sit.” Sana pointed to one of the bean bags near the window, offering a breathtaking, panoramic view of the city. She sat on one and Momo followed suit, albeit carefully.

“What if the boss catches us here?”

“What if the boss what?”

Momo and Sana both stood up, startled at the voice that came from the doorway behind them. There was light laughter as the source stepped into the room.

“Is she a new intern, Sana?”

“Yes ma’am. This is Momo.” Sana’s surprised demeanor relaxed into a calm as her shoulders dropped. “Do you have a brainstorm session today?”

“No, no. I just wanted to walk around and stretch. Hello. My name is Mina Myoui.”

Momo bowed respectfully, still unable to speak.

“Oh gosh, no. That’s too much. Please, a handshake will do. Heck, even a hi-five. We’re all casual here, don’t feel intimidated, please. That’s bad for our brand.” Mina laughed, and Sana nodded in agreement.

Momo straightened up and smiled her brightest.

Mina caught her breath at the sight of the smile. She cleared her throat, and after looking at Momo from head to toe, she said “So, which department are you assigned to?”

Sana rolled her eyes and turned away so Momo couldn’t see, but Mina had picked up on the COO’s mischief.

“Sana, get us coffees, please? Get one for yourself too and then come back – but take your time.” She spoke, eyes still glued on Momo’s smile.

The ginger-haired girl rolled her eyes a second time and strode out of the room, knowing that it was code for something else: _Mina Myoui wanted to be alone with the new intern_.

Mina walked over to where Momo and Sana were sitting before she came in. She sat down and Momo sat down beside her.

“So, talk to me. How’d you end up here?” Mina asked candidly, basking in the cityscape bathed in an orange afternoon glow.

Momo pondered if she should mention the cliché reason, the one all the spoiled kids used. She decided against it.

“It’s the most holistically-challenging workplace I’ve heard about.” Momo slapped herself mentally. _That is a dupe answer._

“Really? What university are you from?” Mina leaned back into the bean bag and closed her eyes.

Momo felt a lump in her throat. _Oh god, she’s going to find out._ “SK National.”

Mina nodded. SK National was the biggest chaebol university to date. Children of the most prominent public figures were enrolled there: from politicians to celebrities, old money families, heirs and heiresses, _chaebol_ kids all the same.

“You don’t seem like the type though to just show off?” Mina knew enough about SKN’s reputation when it came to internships.

“No, I came here fully honest and without a smidge in my integrity. I would never use my parents’ money to get what I wanted.” Momo felt her voice waver but she was telling the truth.

“That’s a pretty textbook answer, Momo. Don’t think too much about impressing me, but we’ll find out in the next few weeks.”

Momo felt offended and embarrassed at how Mina thought of her answer as a pageantry. Her face flushed red as she kept quiet.

Mina opened an eye to peek at Momo’s prolonged silence. “Oh, hey, I didn’t mean it that way. Have you been assigned to a department yet? Because if not, I’d like for you to work directly under my supervision. Is that cool?”

Momo opened her mouth to answer when Sana walked in with a coffee tray, and the scent of the coffee filled the room.

Mina automatically reached out a hand and Sana carefully handed her a steaming cup.

“Your pretentious latte.” Sana teased. “I honestly don’t understand why you have to show off about drinking coffee when this is 90% milk.”

Momo observed the casual banter between the boss and the COO, but she realized the dynamic must be the same as those millennial startups where the setup was more of a collective rather than a company.

“Shut up, don’t embarrass me in front of the intern.” Mina sipped her drink and waved Sana off.

“Here you go, Momo. I put cream and sugar in yours, is that good?”

Momo nodded and took the cup. “Yeah, thanks.”

“So?” Sana eased herself into the beanbag across Momo and took a sip of her drink. “What happened while I was gone?”

“Someone’s greedy. You already have coffee, and now you want tea?” Mina raised an eyebrow at Sana.

“Alright fine, don’t tell me. I’ll find out anyway.” Sana observed Momo for a moment. “Let me guess. She gave you small talk, and now you’re going to report directly to the boss because she told _you_ to work for her.”

Momo was puzzled. _How did she know all of that?_

Sana seemed to read Momo’s mind. “Oh, honey, I’ve been working with her for as long as I can remember. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what Mina’s trying to do. Some advice while you’re here: _always_ read between the lines when she talks to you.” She paused for a bit. “Anyway, I just remembered I have to file some requests, so I’ll leave you two alone.”

Sana’s voiced dripped with so much cryptic undertones that Momo had a difficult time trying to make sense of it. The COO stood up and winked at Momo and shot a glare at Mina before striding out of the room gracefully.

Mina whispered to Momo as she waved off at Sana. “Don’t listen to her, she’s lost her mind from all the work.”

Momo laughed. There was something about Mina that gave off a bright aura. _No wonder the workplace is really chill._

“Okay, so let’s have you start tomorrow, and I’ll brief you on what to do. Give me your email, and I’ll send a few work details.”

“Isn’t that what the HR department is going to do?” Momo asked.

“I know, but I’m a little more meticulous with _my_ work, so I want be more hands-on with it.”

Momo thought it was just her imagination, but she thought she saw Mina’s eyes dart towards her when the latter mentioned “hands-on.” Momo shook it off. Then again, Sana did just say to read “between the lines” when it came to Mina.

*****

Momo’s first two weeks at _Thirty-Seven MSI_ were dreary and nothing out of the ordinary: even though everyone was chipper, they all took their work seriously. Working alongside Mina had its perks work-wise: learning about the company and the gears that run it; how Mina literally meant she was hands-on with their dealings. It was the kind of ownership Momo expected to see in Mina, but was awestruck nonetheless when she saw it firsthand.

For the next two months, Momo spent hours typing out project proposals that Mina personally prepared, and she also got to sit in at board meetings, where she witnessed Mina defend her company expenses under the scrutiny of the more reserved members of the panel, propose partnerships and affiliations, and persuade the board with overseas expansion. Here, Momo saw the way Mina defended her ideas with such passion, although many times there were ego-bruising comments that made sense, which Mina didn’t take too well. Momo had to stop Mina from overdrinking one night after a rejected proposal that took weeks to plan.

On her fifth month, Mina asked Momo to accompany her on an out-of-town conference, along with a few other executives, including Sana. Momo reluctantly agreed because she wanted to get ahead on a few subjects at university, but Mina was persistent and persuasive.

“Come on, I know you’re not the one to gloat about it, but when your colleagues hear about this back at the university, they’ll be dying to take your place. This is an annual conference we’re going to, and it’s a congregation of the biggest and most successful business people on this side of the planet. I would love for you to learn from them, and dream bigger than them.” Mina told Momo while going down the elevator. _She sure knows how to pep talk,_ Momo thought.

Momo wasn’t too sure if she had agreed to go because of Mina’s sales talk, or because they were alone in the lift and Mina was standing just a tad too close to her. Mina had locked gazes with Momo the moment she started convincing the flustered intern. _Great public speakers make eye-contact._

_There were solidly-built walls around Momo’s values and she had planned to keep herself intact. But there was a growing fondness for Mina which Momo shook off as an admirable quality she wanted to have when she would run her own business in the future._

*****

So on Monday morning Momo found herself holding a glass of champagne seated in a plush leather swivel chair aboard a private jet.

“I thought you said we were going to a conference! Why did the pilot say _en route_ to Bali?!” a wide-eyed Momo hissed quietly at Mina.

“We are. We’re early by two days so why not stop by Bali for a quick vacation?”

The numbers didn’t add up. They were the only two people in the jet, and Sana wasn’t flying out until Thursday.

“So, who else is going to be there?”

Mina shifted in her recliner and looked out the window. “Well…there’s you.”

“And?” Momo had a strong gut feeling that it was going to be just the two of them. There was a knot in her stomach that screamed panic over being alone with her boss outside the office.

“I’m there too.” Mina’s voice was barely audible. She quickly added, “You and I have different rooms of course, everything is business. It’s just that not everyone’s schedules coincided with this side trip.” She shrugged.

Momo said nothing but raised an eyebrow in reluctance. She was hoping Mina wouldn’t prod any further, because she wasn’t sure she could keep it together any longer.

Mina couldn't look at Momo any longer lest she implode. “I’m going to the washroom.” 

******

_Mina Myoui, pull yourself together._

Mina splashed cold water on her face ceremoniously, as if praying to be refreshed internally.

She closed her eyes to shake her thoughts but all she saw was the image of Momo smiling so brightly that it gave her butterflies in her stomach. _Oh dear god, I hope this is motion sickness._

She then recalled her conversation with Sana in her office the weekend before the trip.

_“Mina Myoui, I hope you’re not thinking what I’m thinking. I went through Momo’s profile and her transcript, and that kid is far too precious for you to just fool around with. Honestly, out of all the interns we’ve had this year – hell in this whole company’s lifetime, I think she’s the only one genuine enough to gain something from here other than a resumé-filler.”_

_“I don’t care what you think of her, Sana.” Mina retorted, taking a swig of the amber-colored liquid that burned her throat pleasurably. “I swear I feel different about her. I’m not going to mess this up.” She slurred._

_“You’re making promises while you’re clearly inebriated. Do you think that holds any weight?” Sana raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to Mina and reaching for the glass._

_Mina swatted Sana’s reaching hand with her free hand. “It’s not a promise, and yes while I may be drunk, I stand by what I say.”_

_“Really now? Did that girl just change you all of a sudden after two weeks?” Sana’s words were deliberately malicious – meant to sober up Mina._

_Mina put the glass down and looked at Sana. That statement had a personal tinge of hurt. “Are…you jealous of her?”_

_“For fuck’s sake, Mina Myoui. Jealous of her? That’s the last thing I would be. I_ feel bad _for her, because there’s nothing I can do to stop you from getting what you want! You think the world can be convinced and played with if you write them off a check? Not everyone can be bought by money, Mina. ” Sana was aggravated and shaking when she finished. Mina stood there, clearly the words sobered her up._

_Mina clenched her jaw and replied in a soft voice, “I won’t touch her.”_

_Sana was unnerved and stood there, staring Mina down – even though Sana knew there was nothing she could do when Mina had set her sights on a goal._

_“In every sense of the word, I won’t.”_

_******_

Momo was reading through one of the textbooks she brought when her smartphone pinged. She forgot she was connected to the jet’s WiFi.

It was Sana.

_How are you doing? Have you arrived in Bali yet?_

It wasn’t unusual for Sana to message Momo, because it was her job to check in with the interns and the assistants. Momo replied:

_We’ve about half an hour left before descending. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t going to be on this trip?_

The response took a while, but was trite:

_I’m sick of Bali._

Momo was tapping her fingers on her phone, thinking of whether she should reply or not, when Mina came back out of the washroom looking less tense but more tired. Momo averted her eyes and tried to focus on her phone, but her periphery caught Mina slumping into the chair and heaving a sigh.

 _Do you want me to tell Mina anything? Is there something happening at work?_ Momo texted.

Sana’s answer came much later than expected.

_No, not really, just wanted to check in on you. Have a good trip._

“Are you texting Sana?”

A startled Momo looked up and saw Mina opening a bottle of Perrier, and motioning to Momo’s phone.

“Oh, yeah. She was just asking if we’ve landed already.”

Mina nodded, and slumped back into her seat.

The rest of the trip was quiet, and Momo wondered what had dampened Mina’s mood, but she shrugged it off and returned to reading her book. Despite trying her best to prepare herself to set the boundaries, the lingering thought of loosening up was a tempting decision.

Not much later, the intercom announced that they were nearing Bali, and had begun their descent.

******

Peering out over the room’s balcony, with the waves crashing on the beachfront, Mina thought about the last time she had gone to Bali. It was a few years back for a company outing. Bali had become a special getaway for her and it was always a place to gather her thoughts before any big event. Bali was her safe place.

She pondered on whether she should have shared something this personal to Momo when her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“ _I can’t fly out on Thursday.”_ It was Sana on the other line.

Mina’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean, you _can’t_?”

 _“I mean, it’s a serious personal matter. I already briefed Momo on everything, she can handle it.”_ Sana’s responses were dry, unbothered to match Mina’s growing frustration.

“She barely knows anyone there!” Mina hissed.

 _“That’s what you think. I spent all week with her profiling and memorizing everyone and their businesses. She has eidetic memory.”_ Sana emphasized how much Momo wasn’t _just_ another intern. 

“Just remember your job is on the line if she screws this up.”

 _“Oh? You’re not going to cut her some slack?”_ the COO laughed bitterly on the other line.

“Didn’t you just hear me? I said _your_ job, not hers. Her mistake at your expense. So, have fun dealing with whatever your ‘serious personal matter’ is.”

Mina ended the call and inhaled sharply. She knew two things: One, Sana did not want to be at the conference, and two, her personal matter was a personal _someone._

“Who was that?” Momo stepped in from the balcony after taking some photos around the private resort.

“Sana. She can’t make it. Personal matters.”

Momo looked crestfallen. “Oh, that’s unfortunate. Thank god she prepared me for the conference! Which reminds me, I have to go back on the files and skim through the faces.”

 _Sana’s not going to be here, which means I’m on my own._ Momo was playing scenarios in her head of how the week would go, now that there was no buffer.

“Wait, why? She told me you have eidetic memory so what’s the deal?”

Thankfully, Momo’s brain had formulated their defense: “It’s not an excuse to not go through it one more time, you know. No harm in doing better.” Momo shrugged, as if this virtue was something Mina should have known.

“Can’t we go get dinner first?” Mina sighed, folding her arms.

Momo thought it was a funny sight. Her boss looked like a toddler who wanted to have their way. She clenched her jaw to resist the growing affection that was making its way from out of her chest warmly.

“Okay, then. Let’s go get dinner.”

Mina nodded and shrugged off the blazer she was wearing on the plane and set it on her bed.

 _Even in her plain white shirt and black jeans, Mina looked so chic. Real money doesn’t flaunt themselves around_. Momo thought to herself, remembering what her father had told her multiple times in the past.

“Any particular place you want to eat at?” Mina asked while changing from the hotel slippers and into her shoes.

Momo couldn’t remove her gaze from Mina, and a leap of silence before her reply, “Uh, not really, but I do want to try the local delicacies.”

Thankfully, Mina was too preoccupied with her shoes to notice Momo’s gawking. “I’ll take you to one of the popular restaurants that serve the best local dishes. How’s that?”

“Sounds great.”

******

Mina was poking her food with a fork as she waited for Momo to return from the washroom. They were midway into dinner when Momo had accidentally spilled a little of her drink on her dress, which she simply laughed off.

The young CEO was captivated by the sound of Momo’s laughter. Everything about her was like a good song you wanted to put on endless repeat. Mina watched Momo carefully as she stood up and excused herself.

Losing herself in her thoughts, she wondered what she would tell Momo to convince the student to work at _Thirty-Seven MSI_ when she graduates.

“Hey?”

Mina’s train of thought was interrupted by Momo’s return to their table. Her dress hadn’t returned to its best state, but her disposition clearly wasn’t dampened.

Momo pointed to her outfit with a lopsided smile. Mentally, she facepalmed herself. _Momo, don’t show off. Don’t flirt with your boss._

Mina offered an approving smile and nod.

“Momo, I was wondering,” Mina straightened up in her seat and fiddled with the stem of her goblet. She tried to keep eye contact with Momo but didn’t understand why her gaze kept faltering, it was unusual for her.

“Hmm?” Momo listened intently, even leaning closer to hear Mina properly.

“I know you’ve only been at the company for a while, and for an internship at that, but have you considered working for us when you graduate?”

Before Momo could answer, Mina added out of impulse, “You’d be well-compensated, and as you’ve witnessed, the work environment is conducive even for entry-level employees.”

Momo broke into what seemed like a knowing smile as if she anticipated the question. “I think you know very well the answer to that, _boss._ ”

Mina’s eyes leered in suspicion. “Can we be honest with each other here?” She asked softly. “Did Sana tell you anything, anything at all?”

Momo nodded. No smug expression, just sincerity. “She told me _everything._ Frankly, I really don’t want to be involved in anything other than corporate affairs, and not the _scandalous_ kind.”

Momo reached out a hand and placed it over Mina’s. The warmth sent a surge of electricity down Mina’s spine.

“I think it’s sweet, going the extra mile. I mean, all of this?” Momo gestured to the entirety of their dinner setting. “I wouldn’t do this even if I could. But, I honestly don’t think it’s going to play well on my résumé if I worked up my way up by _sleeping_ with the boss, no matter how natural that might be in your company.”

Mina’s face flushed at the reality of Momo’s words. She felt offended, but it wasn’t a lie; she was notoriously flirtatious, and more often than not it spelled “working overtime in the board room.” 

The hushed voices that knew of the company’s dark secrets kept to themselves; _every castle hid a dungeon._

“Don’t worry, it won’t change my respect towards this company. You’ve set the bar really high for chaebol companies, and I admire that.” Momo added, slipping her hand away from Mina’s, and reaching for her glass.

Mina slumped back in her seat and heaved a long, winded sigh. “I…I have nothing to say, and I don’t think apologizing would make up for any of it.”

“But…why does Sana still work for you?” Mina felt like a cattle prod just got shoved into her back from Momo’s question.

The sudden tension in the air caught her off guard and disoriented her.

Momo was looking dead straight at her, waiting for an honest answer.

“Will you quit if I told you?”

“Will it solve anything if I quit? Because if it fixes the rift between you two, I would, without hesitation.”

Momo’s words were painfully cold for someone who was pure sunshine. Mina clenched her jaw and mustered the courage to say the words.

“Because Sana told me she can’t and won’t leave because of you. She doesn’t want you doing things that would hurt you, or other people. She _loves_ you.” Momo’s tone drove a stake into Mina’s ego.

“Momo, she’s dating somebody else. I don’t have any feelings for her.” Mina replied coldly, hoping Momo would leave it at that.

Momo nodded and pursed her lips. “That’s what she said, too. But clearly, she genuinely cares about you, even if it isn’t in the romantic sense. But with all due respect, Mina, I’ve enough respect for myself not to end up as rebound, especially for my boss.”

“It’s not rebound.” Mina spoke softly. The conversation was draining her physically and emotionally.

“You know, Sana should quit, right? Any self-respecting woman wouldn’t let money shut her up, however big the amount.”

“Don’t talk about her like that, you don’t know her.” Mina felt her chest tighten. Momo was hitting bullseye and was not missing a single shot.

“You care about her, still.”

“If you quit, and she quits, then that’s great for the both of you. Is that what you both talked about behind my back?” Mina shot. She squared her shoulders and sat up.

“Mina, you asked me if I wanted to work at _Thirty-Seven_ after I graduate. My answer is _no_. It’s _always_ been no, even before all of this. I wasn’t lying when I said I applied for the experience. My parents expect me to take over _our_ own company after all of this. I just wanted to be prepared.”

“Did you also prepare yourself for closed-door affairs, smoking guns, and the harsh reality that no company is morally clean?”

“Mina, I know this feels like a personal attack but – “

“Isn’t it?”

“Mina, please, will you just listen?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t-I’m done with this conversation. You can make your way back to the hotel on your own, I’m leaving. The bill’s already paid for.”

*****

_“What do I do?” Momo whimpered into the phone, telling Sana all about Mina’s tantrum and walking out on her. The restaurant crowd was thinning as the night grew deeper, but Momo couldn’t get herself to go back to the hotel._

_“Quit after the conference. It’s the only way to knock some sense into her.”_

_“What?” Momo hastily sat up, hitting the table in the process._

_“Momo…you don’t know Mina like I do. Don’t worry, she’ll get over it.”_

_“I’m gonna need a drink.” Momo stood up and made a beeline for the bar, which was open until late and called the bartender for a shot._

_Sana was quiet on the other line for a while, “Why does this bother you so much? You told her the truth. She needed to hear it from someone that wasn’t me.”_

_Momo took a vodka shot before responding. She had to come clean, too. “I like Mina.” Her throat burned from the alcohol, but also from admitting loudly what she had been feeling. It was far from impossible to avoid everything about Mina especially when they were working so closely, and so often._

_“Fuck, Momo. That bitch charms anyone that steps into her office.”_

_“I know. I think that’s all this is, too.” Momo rested a palm over her forehead and whined into the phone. “I don’t know if this a good decision. I don’t think I can control myself any longer._

_“Chasing a high?” Sana scoffed, knowing all-too well how Mina’s passive charms put a trance upon anyone she was exposed to for prolonged periods of time. Sana would know. More than anyone._

_“I could ask you the same, since you’re still at the company.”_

_“I got over it, Momo. Mina chases her highs and always needs a release. Fucking bitch is always in heat.” Sana laughs._

_Another shot of vodka clouds Momo’s partial thoughts about Mina’s promiscuity. The alcohol creates an illusion in her head, and it’s Mina, Mina, Mina. “Fair point. But that charm of her is no joke, Sana.”_

_No reply from Sana apart from an agreeing grunt is heard, and before inebriety takes over, Momo uses her last few sensible thoughts to piece a statement. “Sana, I’ll quit after the conference. But…if this, this thing ends up not just as a one-night-stand, I’m going to pursue it.”_

_“I’ll be your maid-of-honor even, Hirai.”_

_“You’re giving me a migraine, Sana. But thanks.”_

_“Give Mina all my love.” Sana drawls sensually into the phone, and Momo laughs._

_“I’ll give her all of mine.” Momo replies before dropping the call._

*****

Mina huffed in the backseat of the service car, jaw still clenched. She didn’t know what hurt more, the aching of her cheeks, or the sting of Momo’s words.

Her ego was so badly beaten up that she couldn’t muster the strength to look Momo in the eyes when she left her at the restaurant.

She prayed she wouldn’t come across Momo in the lobby of the hotel, but she was grateful they were booked on different floors.

She strode into the elevator head low, avoiding any eye contact with anyone. She felt the anxiety twisting her from the inside, and it only let her breathe when she reached her hotel room without any encounters.

Mina switched her phone off after freshening up in the bathroom, and curled up under the covers, being under the guise that it would protect her from any forthcoming shame and bruises to her ego. She was too emotionally fragile to deal with confrontation, and the evening had drained the life out of her. She wanted the covers to swallow her whole.

She had already lightly dozed off when she thought she heard the door click open. She waved it off as her imagination and fatigue, and tried to fall back asleep.

Seconds later she felt a weight on the edge of the bed.

“Huh-”

Half-awake, Mina could smell strong alcohol laced with the gentle perfume she identified as the same as what Momo wore earlier tonight.

“Hey.” Momo’s husky drawl lingered in Mina’s ear. “I’m going to quit after this conference, so…” Mina felt an arm snake around her waist.

“I’m sorry for what I said, I-I wasn’t…I was too caught up in wanting to be the perfect intern. God, Mina, you are just so irresistible, it’s like a curse.”

A pause, as Mina tried to take in Momo’s drunken, slurry confession and Momo presses closer against Mina’s back.

“I don’t give a fuck anymore, Mina.” was the last thing Mina heard before a pair of cold, vodka-traced lips met with hers. In a blur, Mina’s bed was a mess of tangled bodies with pent-up tensions in them, fogging up the bedside mirror in careless abandon. Hurtful words were nursed under the blankets, unspoken words made up for by delicate touches, a fight resolved in the exchange of gasps and whispers.


End file.
